The Toronto Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the World Series with an 11-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.
Playing in their first World Series since 1993, the Blue Jays effectively won the game with a nine-run sixth inning — which included a never-before-seen World Series feat.
After the Dodgers scored one run each in the second and third innings, Toronto first tied the game thanks to a two-run homer by Daulton Varsho in the fourth. The Blue Jays then put the game away in the bottom of the sixth, which started with a Bo Bichette walk.
Bichette’s walk was followed by an Alejandro Kirk single and Varsho getting hit by a pitch. That loaded the bases for Ernie Clement, who drove home the go-ahead run with a single to left center.
Nathan Lukes walked in Toronto’s next at bat, bringing home another run.
Andres Giménez followed up with a single to right, increasing the lead to 5-2.
After George Springer grounded into a fielder’s choice at home, Toronto had the bases loaded with one out. Instead of sending Davis Schneider to the plate, Blue Jays manager John Schneider decided to have Addison Barger pinch hit.
The decision could not have been better, as Barger hit a game-breaking grand slam — the first pinch hit grand slam in World Series history.
Three batters later, Toronto put the capper on the third-highest scoring inning in World Series history (and the highest in over 50 years), when Kirk hit a two-run homer to center.
By the end of the inning, the Blue Jays had scored nine runs to take an 11-2 lead over Los Angeles. Even though Shohei Ohtani would hit the first homer of his World Series career later in the game, it proved meaningless.
It was another come-from-behind victory for MLB’s comeback kings, as Toronto led the majors in the regular season with 49 such wins. Pitcher Trey Yesavage got the start for the Blue Jays, throwing four innings and allowing two runs. Yesavage became the second-youngest pitcher to start a Game 1 in the World Series, and he avoided disaster, stranding base runners in both the second and third.
Blake Snell got the start and the loss for the Dodgers, as he allowed five runs in five-plus innings. Snell started the fateful sixth for Los Angeles and was taken off the mound after he had already allowed the bases to get loaded.
The Dodgers now trail in the World Series for the first time since 2018, when they lost to the Boston Red Sox. Los Angeles never trailed in the 2020 and 2024 series.
Toronto won its first World Series game in 32 years. The Blue Jays hit three home runs Friday, giving them 23 in the postseason.
Game 2 is Saturday.
FINAL: Blue Jays dominate Dodgers in Game 1
The Blue Jays — thanks largely to a nine-run sixth inning that saw the third-most runs ever scored in a single World Series inning — took Game 1. It was a particularly shocking result given Los Angeles has allowed just five runs over their last five games.
Toronto will look to extend its series lead Saturday at 8 p.m. ET with Kevin Gausman on the mound. The Dodgers will send Yoshinobu Yamamoto to face him and help even the series.
Dodgers’ patience with Pages not paying off
Andy Pages has started all 11 of the Dodgers’ postseason games in center field, but it might be time for that to change. Having gone 0-for-3 with two strikeouts tonight, he’s now just 3-for-38 with one RBI in October. He’s struck out 11 times and failed to walk even once, though he has been hit by pitches twice.
Pages’ defense graded out very well this year, so it’s understandable that the Dodgers have stuck with him, especially with Tommy Edman’s ankle limiting him to infield duty. Assuming Edman still isn’t ready play center, the alternative to Pages is probably Alex Call in left and Enrique Hernández in center, which is a clear defensive downgrade. Hyeseong Kim can also play center, but the Dodgers haven’t given him even one at-bat this postseason.
Blue Jays strand one in the eighth
It’s 11-4 Toronto as we go to the top of the ninth. The Dodgers are down to their final three outs, with the bottom of the order due up.
Dodgers can’t cut into lead in the eighth
The Blue Jays still lead 11-4 as we head to the bottom of the inning.
Dodgers’ underbelly exposed with Sheehan’s struggles
After taking over for Blake Snell with the bases loaded and none out in the sixth, Emmet Sheehan retired just one of the four Blue Jays he faced, giving up two singles and a walk. He was charged with three runs in what ended up being a nine-run inning, taking his postseason ERA to 17.18.
With so many of the team’s traditional relievers banged up, Sheehan was very much a part of the Dodgers’ plans entering October. The 25-year-old excelled in limited regular-season action, posting a 2.82 ERA and an outstanding 89/22 K/BB ratio in 73 1/3 innings over 15 outings, 12 of which were starts. However, he’s now given up seven runs and eight hits over 3 2/3 innings in his four postseason appearances. He’s struck out two and walked three. That he can’t be counted on at this point is going to be a problem in games in which the Dodgers’ starters can’t get through six or seven innings.
Blue Jays go down in order in the seventh
We head to the eighth. Toronto leads 11-4.
It’s time for the stretch
No more damage for the Dodgers after the Ohtani homer. The Blue Jays lead 11-4 as we go to the bottom of the seventh.
The inning that wouldn’t end
The Jays sent 12 men to the plate and scored nine runs against Blake Snell, Emmet Sheehan and Anthony Banda in the sixth inning of the World Series.
Their 10 runs is the third most runs ever scored in an inning during the World Series. The 1929 Athletics overcame an 8-0 deficit in scoring 10 runs in the eighth inning of Game 4 in what ended a 10-8 victory. They then finished off the Cubs in Game 5. The 1968 Tigers also won the World Series after their 10-run inning in Game 6.
Ohtani hits a two-run shot to right
The Dodgers have cut into the lead thanks to a two-run homer from Shohei Ohtani in the top of the seventh. That’s Ohtani’s first career World Series home run.
The Blue Jays lead 11-4.
That was the highest-scoring inning in the World Series in over 50 years
Toronto’s nine runs in the bottom of the sixth were the most in a World Series inning since 1968, per the Fox broadcast. It’s the third-highest total ever.
